A fetus was found at the wastewater treatment plant on Doug Benard Parkway Monday. There are a lot of questions, but it may take a while to get answers.

The investigation is in its early stages, information is very limited right now. NewsChannel 6’s Samantha Williams came out to the treatment plant when deputies were there, but the workers closed its gate, restricting access to where the fetus was found..

“I don’t recall investigating one,” Coroner Mark Bowen responded when I asked him if he had ever worked a case like this.

What we know so far is that Augusta’s wastewater treatment plant workers were doing maintenance on their main grinder, a crucial machine that breaks down wastewater solids when an employee found the fetus in that wastewater.

Bowen tells us it appeared to be around 20 weeks old.

I asked him if someone flushed it down the toilet. He responded: “No. We don’t know anything right now. We are assuming from where it was found. We have very little details. We are going to consult with the medical examiners.”

Several unanswered questions remain in the air… It is uncertain how long the fetus has been in the grinder, all depending on how often the plant employees maintain the machine.

Bowen says one thing is certain: “It is going to be a long investigation.”

We asked a plant worker a question about the case earlier, but they are not talking.

As more information comes available, count on us to keep you updated.

Photojournalist: Antony Sherrod

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